Naturally Homemade

Natural Sunscreen put to the test....Part 1

2016-06-05T15:13:00.001-07:00

We are going to the waterpark capital in the world in the Dells in Wisconsin for a fun family vacation this week. So, I thought what better time to try out a homemade sunscreen recipe?

Here is the one I used from "Wellness Mama":

http://wellnessmama.com/2558/homemade-sunscreen/

The only changes I made were I lessened the beeswax and Shea butter by half hoping to keep it more liquid than lotion, because I put it in these cool roller ball oil holders so the kids could easily apply it to their faces. I also added pomegranate oil after researching natural sunscreen ingredients.

We are going away for 3 sunfilled days. I am going with another family and taking extra kiddos so we have a combined 11 children to use as guinea pigs!!!!

So far she loves the smell and getting to apply it herself!!!!! I love that it has NO harsh chemicals. I will report back after the trip....... 😎

1/16/17

UPDATE!!!! (Sorry, I forgot to come back and update!) The sunscreen worked fantastic. I used it this trip and all summer long. My husband and even went with another couple to Punta Cana and I took it with me. I didn't have to buy anything! The only day I burned, (and I was out all summer long) was the last day of our trip. We left in the morning and went on an island tour that lasted the entire day and we had almost no shade. If it wasn't for that day, I would've made it the whole summer without a single sunburn. So I would say it was a very successful batch.

Beef Bone Broth

2014-11-10T17:21:00.001-08:00

Want to do something really easy? How about really healthy? Or just want to drive your dog crazy all day??? Try this recipe for making healthy, easy, yummy, dog driving crazy beef bone broth. It makes a wonderful base for soups, stews, casseroles and can even be used a cup at a time.

5-6 lbs of beef soup bones

10 peppercorns

2 chopped carrots

2 chopped celery stalks

1 whole garlic, peeled

2 chopped onions

Water

1 Tbsp sea salt

First, roast the bones at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Next, add the veggies and continue roasting another hour. Transfer everything in roaster to a large soup pot. Use batches of warm water to roaster to deglaze pan and add to soup pot. You'll be surprised at how much caamelization occurs! Sprinkle sea salt over top. Fill your soup pot 3/4 full with water and simmer on stove top for 4 hours. Turn off heat and let cool. Strain the liquid from the solids. (I use the meat chunks in my homemade dog food, but be sure to separate out the garlic and onions.) That's it, you're done! Super healthy, simple and will keep your dog under your feet all day hoping for a taste, which he got..... :)-

Oh, and I store mine in large mason jars and freezer safe ziplock bags. Just pull one out and you're ready to make a rich soup in just a few minutes!

He has camped out here all day!

Vacation Travel made Fun!

2014-07-22T11:50:00.001-07:00

I really do believe that getting there is half the journey, but I honestly felt ill when I map quested our destination and saw I will be in the car for 17 + hours with my little blessings later this month! It has been a while since our last long driving vacation and the twins now being 3.5 should make it interesting! We have been preparing mentally to hear 5 million times, "are we there yet?" I've also been putting our traditional activity boxes together. They get so excited as each ziplock bag full of goodies is packed away. I find myself stopping obsessively at dollar stores and thrift shops looking for toys and games that will keep them entertained in between potty breaks. Here are a few things we have gathered so far:

This is what the boxes look like put together. There is one for the 3 yr olds and one for the 6-10 year olds. My rule is you must put everything back into it's correct bag before a new activity can be checked out of the box.

This is why you must put your bags together before you leave, otherwise you will have all this trash and wrapping on your vehicle floor.

I found these boxes at Kmart. They were $4.99 each, the perfect size and with the lid on they will double as a lap desk or game table!

Some packing tips:

Don't forget to bring glow sticks and bracelets! My kids build some cool stuff with them once the sun goes down!!! Flash lights and light up toys are very exciting at night when your almost there!

Remember to put everything you will need per activity into each ziplock bag. (Like Qtips for paint with water, or scissors for crafts.). It would be a bummer to not have what you need on the road.

Check around your house and in the bottom of your toyboxes. You'll be surprised at what you find that would be exciting if you were stuck in your seat.

Let your kids help pick items out. It helps build excitement, but also plan a few surprises they don't know about.

The concept is really simple, the hard part is waiting to leave. Doesn't he look pitiful! He will be thrilled when he gets to open his box in a few days. It will feel just like Christmas!

Use your imagination and prepare to enjoy the travel days to your vacation destination instead of losing them to grumpiness and fussy bored kids!

Basic Vanilla Microwave Mug Cake

2014-07-02T09:08:00.001-07:00

So here is the second post for the basic mug cake recipe. This one is non-chocolate. You can change up this recipe into so many different types of cake, it's crazy. I will give you a few of my favorite add in's at the end. Enjoy creating your perfect cake!

(Carrot Mug Cake with. Team cheese icing, pictured)

Basic Vanilla mug cake recipe:

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1/2 Tbsp sweetener of choice (I use Truvia)

1.5 Tbsp almond or oat flour

1.5 Tbsp of flax meal or coconut flour

1/2 tsp aluminum free baking soda

1 egg

Few drops of vanilla extract

Dash organic cinnamon and sea salt

1-2 tsp water or "milk" of your choice

Mix all ingredients together well in microwave safe mug or small dish. Microwave on high for 1-1.5 minutes or until center is firm. Top with your favorite toppings, fruit, yogurt or powdered stevia or enjoy plain!

Add these ingredients to make other versions:

Cherry vanilla- chopped cherries and almond extract

Pecan coffee cake- chopped pecans, almond extract, 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses or maple syrup

Orange dreamcicle- orange extract, orange zest (omit cinnamon)

Lemon poppyseed- 1/4 tsp poppy seeds, lemon extract, lemon zest

Carrot Mug Cake-(use oat flour) add coconut, raisins, shredded carrots, and carrot juice for the liquid.

Banana bread in a mug- 1/2 mashed banana, almond or caramel extract, chopped pecans

Strawberry coffee cake- chopped strawberries, walnuts, almond extract, melt 1 tsp butter on top after cooked.

Cherry cheesecake Cake- mix in 1 Tbsp softened cream cheese and 1 Tbsp ricotta cheese into batter and top with

Fresh cherries.

Caramel cake- add caramel extract, 1 tsp butter, 1 tsp blackstrap molasses

Blueberry muffin- blueberries, 1 tsp butter, almond extract

......the possibilities are truly endless!!!!!

Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake

2014-07-02T08:58:00.001-07:00

As promised, here is the beginning of a mug cake series! I've been eating these for breakfast for over a year now and am hooked! It doesn't hurt that they help you lose weight, are gluten, dairy and sugar free and full of great stuff to start your day. I change up the recipe based on what sounds good to me and what ingredients I have on hand. I've decided to post the base for a chocolate and then show you what to add to make different flavors for this post.

Basic chocolate mug cake:

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 Tbsp almond flour

1 Tbsp flax meal or coconut flour

1/2 tsp aluminum free baking soda

1 egg

1/2 Tbsp sweetener of your choice (I use Truvia)

Few drops of vanilla extract

Dash organic cinnamon and sea salt

1-2 tsp water or "milk" of your choice

Mix well in a microwave safe coffee mug or ramikin dish. Microwave in high for 1-1.5 minutes until center is firm. Enjoy plain or with your favorite toppings.

*I top them with powdered stevia, whipped cream, Greek yogurt, fresh fruit or even a Tbsp of cream cheese. I've also made a yogurt and cream cheese icing to store in the fridge for a weeks worth of mug cake breakfasts! You can't mess this up, just jump in and get creative.

Here are a few other versions I've made:

Chocolate banana: add 1/2 mashed banana and 1/2 tsp almond extract

Orange chocolate: add orange zest and a few drops of pure orange extract

Chocolate covered strawberry: add almond extract and chopped strawberries

Caramel chocolate: add caramel extract and melt a tsp butter on top after cooked

Cherry chocolate: almond extract and chopped cherries

I think you get the picture! Now go have fun and create :)

Family Sized "Mug" Cake

2014-07-02T08:26:00.001-07:00

I'm slightly obsessed with microwaved mug cakes. It brings out the Easy Bake Oven little girl in me. It's also an excuse to have cake for breakfast! Who doesn't love that? And if you need another reason, which I don't, it's healthy too!!!! Kind of like no guilt happiness in 1.5 minutes. Well, with seven kids you can imagine one mug cake isn't going to cut it. I've lined up our mugs and created a mini cake factory, but found that most mornings I prefer to just quadruple the recipe and make it once.

Here is today's yummy version:

In a large glass deep dish pie plate mix

3 Tbsp melted coconut oil

2 mashed bananas

4 eggs

3 Tbsp almond flour

3 Tbsp flax meal

1/4 cup Truvia (or sweetener of your choice)

1 Tbsp aluminum free baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Dash salt & vanilla extract

Mix well, sprinkle in blueberries and 1/2 cup chopped strawberries. Microwave on high for 11-13 minutes, until the center is firm. I served it sprinkled with powdered stevia and chopped pecans.

I just realized that I've been eating mug cakes and become quite a pro at them I might add, for over a year now. I can't believe I haven't blogged them! So get ready for a bunch of recipes to come.......

Homemade Dog food

2014-06-27T07:51:00.001-07:00

Our beloved pet Nicky has battled hot spots and skin infections his whole life. I've watched our family's diet so carefully over the years that it was just instinctual to watch Nicky's too. I noticed he would get more scratchy and inflamed with certain commercial dog foods over others. Eventually he seemed allergic to all of them. Our vet recommended keeping him on Benadryl. Nicky hates Benadryl! I started researching homemade dog food about a year ago, but to be quite honest, it intimidated me. I am even hesitant to share my recipes, because I know how delicate a dog's system can be and know how some foods are even toxic to dogs. I've learned that giving your dog commercial food is like you living on a diet of Doritos and Eggo waffles. If you wouldn't be healthy on highly processed food, why would your pet!

I encourage you to:

READ...A LOT! And from many sources.

AVOID at all costs:

Chocolate

Xylitol

Onions

Avacodo

Garlic

Yeast dough

Raisins

Macidamia Nuts

Cooked bones of any kind

Candy and gum

Be cautious of:

Grapes (some say they are safe, some say no)

Bananas (again some say yes, some say no)

Dairy (can cause diarrhea, yet they need calcium....more on that in a minute)

Here are some good reputable links to begin your reading:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/foods-are-hazardous-dogs

http://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-foods-your-dog-should-never-eat

http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/foods_poisonous_to_pets.html

Be aware of a dog's dietary needs. A general rule is 1/2 meat, 1/4 puréed vegetables, 1/4 rice or other starch carbohydrate. Check out multiple recipes and sites that recommend a dogs's dietary needs.

Here is where there is a big debate....carnivore or omnivore? Depends on who you read. Paleo type people really push all meat and bone diets. I'm balanced more evenly in my own family's diet so I prefer (as well as my doggie) a more varied approach.

I read so many different opinions my head was spinning. One thing everyone seems to agree on is commercial dog food is overall bad bad bad. It's chock full of fillers, by products and super high in salt. Mealtime for my (used to be overweight) Nicky was dull and boring. Now he chases his tail in circles whenever I go near the fridge.

So what does it cost and how much time is this going to take, I'm sure your thinking. Well, anything I do homemade has to make sense for me to keep doing it and I believe this does. Cost wise, it is about the same, because I use high quality ingredients. Time wise, it takes me about an hour, tops (fit inBetween our family dinner time and clean up) ONCE per month.

Here is the recipe I currently feed our dog:

5lbs browned ground beef (or mixture of ground beef, turkey, chicken and pork of your choice)

2-3 cups brown rice, after steamed or boiled it's more like 4-5 cups

5 cups steamed and puréed veggies, mostly greens (I steam carrots, peas, celery, and tons of Kale in the top of my steamer and the rice in the bottom of my steamer at the same time).* I purée them in my ninja blender with some beef or chicken broth and add them to the browned meat. Then, add the cooked rice and 1 can puréed pumpkin.

*It's important to finely chop or purée the fruit and veggies you give your pet to help them digest and absorb the nutrients.

This makes approximately 30, 1-1.5 cup servings. I store them plastic containers in the freezer holding about one week's worth in each container. I keep one in the fridge and the rest in the freezer, pulling out one container at a time as he is ready for it. He gets a chopped apple or pear for lunch and 1-1.5 cups of homemade dog food with a raw egg (crushed shell and all) for dinner. The shell provides needed calcium as well as the Kale. I vary his lunch snack depending on what we have available and is safe.

His skin is looking so much better, he's at a healthy weight, finally, and he is one happy dog!

So don't be afraid! Educate yourself, talk to your vet and get in that kitchen. Remember, a zoo doesn't order wolf, monkey, lion or giraffe food! Our animals can eat real food too!

Gluten Free -Sugar Free AND Yummy Pancakes

2014-06-07T09:40:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I posted, but that doesn't mean I have been doing things naturally or homemade. It has been between 1-2 yrs since I started eating low carb and no sugar. I feel so much better and now when I have, oh maybe a donut or something like that, I feel nauseous within minutes. I've lost 25 lbs and most importantly, kept it off. I haven't shared what I've been eating regularly, so I'm going to try to post my favorites in hopes that you can see it is possible. I've read many books on the subject and have called my diet "The God Diet". Eat foods the way God created them, minimally processed and as whole as possible. I buy almost exclusively organic and have learned how to feed my family on a budget and remove the dreaded cereal addiction from my pantry. We are not perfect, we cheat, we eat out, we are REAL :)

Here is my family's favorite breakfast, which I make in 5 minutes and bake for 20. (If you want to flip pancakes for 2 hours you may cook them in a griddle). It will last us 3-4 mornings and the kids beg me for it. Enjoy, and feel free to downsize the recipe (or increase :) to fit your needs. This recipe makes about 62 small pancakes.

Gluten free -Sugar free Pancakes

4 cups rolled oats

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp Stevia/Truvia or sweetener of your choice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

•pulverize it together in blender

•add 1 tsp vanilla, large container of egg whites, large container cottage cheese, 1 Tbsp coconut oil, blend well.

•here's where you choose, oven baked or pan fried. If you're using the stove top, make like normal pancakes. If your baking in the oven, preheat it to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes per pan or until done in the middle. This batch makes 3 pans 1/3 full. I've found it is the perfect thickness. ( Any fuller and the pancakes are doughey in the middle.) be sure to spay your pans with nonstick spray, I use coconut.

•remove from oven and let cool. Cut into bars.

•serve with fruit, whipped cream, maple syrup, etc.

Store leftovers in plastic zipper bag in fridge for the next breakfast. Hide from the kids or you'll be making them again tomorrow 😍

Here is a pan fried batch:

Hidden zucchini, lasagna ;)

2014-03-09T17:35:00.001-07:00

My kids hate zucchini, so they say. I made a regular lasagna last night for the kids and a veggie-noodless one for me and they just raved about how great their's was. What no one (except you) knows is that I peeled and shredded 2 whole zucchinis and mixed it into their ricotta cheese layer. I've tried that in the past and they complained instantly that there was some weird green things in their lasagna. But not this time! This time they went back for seconds and my oldest son, also the pickiest, had thirds. So, don't give up mamas. You know you can outsmart them and get some veggies in even the pickiest eaters, just don't give up!

This is the peeled and shredded zucchini. When I mixed it with the ricotta cheese, eggs and spices it looked just like shredded mozzarella :)-

Beating the winter blues...

2014-01-09T08:48:00.001-08:00

We have some pretty stir crazy kids around here. It's been negative and single digit temps for several weeks. If I go to the store, it's usually alone, so the kids are really really bored! Today I saw an idea on my newsfeed and decided to try it. We have done something similar in the past in a cookie sheet and I will say that on the window has kept their attention much longer. Have fun exploring your kitchen and inspiring your kids too!

We used any thick liquid I could find (I.e., dish soap, tempura paint, mayo, yogurt, ketchup, mustard, choc syrup, etc.). I recommend double bagging them in gallon freezer bags for durability. We added glitter to the dish soap one. The top left one is mayo with a few drops of food coloring. Tape the bag closed and tape to a window or wall with packing tape. When you're done, take down and toss!

I'd love for you to comment with your ideas. This was really fun!!!

All Natural Applesauce

2013-10-28T11:29:00.001-07:00

We were at Royal Oaks Apple Orchard recently and bought a bushel of windfall apples. Today, I finally had a morning to turn them into applesauce. The kids quickly took the slicing and dicing over and I did the dishes. I forgot how easy....and delicious this is!

We sliced 30-35 apples with an apple slicer, we also left the skins on. Then, we chopped them into chunks with a chopper.

Add them to a large pot with 2-3 cups of water, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Cook on med-low heat until tender. Add 2-3 Tbsp. of cinnamon. Put in small batches through a food processor. Pour into your sterilized jars and top with lids.

Our first jar didn't make it to the pantry, but was eaten by some sneaky monkeys ;)

I add 2 cups of blueberries to the last bit for blueberry-applesauce. It was so good :)

This batch made 11 pints of homemade applesauce.

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups with a Pumpkin twist!

2013-10-12T09:39:00.001-07:00

Okay this recipe I have made dozens of times. It saved me when I did my first round of the 21 Day Sugar Detox. I've kept this recipe around and because they are not super sweet and the kids do not devour them. I pretty much get them all to myself. I made these this morning, but added a few modifications* for Fall.

* I added 2-3 Tbsp of pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice to the filling and 1-2 Tbsp of maple syrup to the chocolate, because I am not currently on a sugar detox.

(From page 206-207 of the new 21 Day Sugar Detox book)

Ingredients:

Directions:

My first layer....

Second layer......

Third layer......

Finished product....YUM!!!!!!!

Veggie Pancakes OR Hamburger bun, What???

2013-10-12T06:50:00.001-07:00

I am very excited to be testing out recipes in the new 21 Day Sugar Detox book. You can join the health revolution and buy the book when it comes out Oct 29th, but until then I will share with you my results.

I made sliders last night, one of my children's favorite meals. It's probably because I make them homemade buns! (That Recipe is here: http://naturallyhomemade.blogspot.com/2012/04/homemade-hamburger-buns.html?m=1)

For the meat I press 2 lbs of ground meat into a baking sheet (with sides), sprinkle garlic salt and onion powder. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and slice into squares.

Well as the kid's rolls were rising I made the 21 Day Sugar Detox recipe for veggie pancakes for me which they recommend using as a bun. I thought I'd try it. I will admit I was a bit skeptical, but guess what???? I loved them! You could use them as a crepe and fill them with anything really. The possibilities are endless as well as the veggies you use to make them with.

Page 97 of the 21 Day Sugar Detox book

Ingredients:

Directions:

My version, (no modifications :) this is the mixture.....

I fried them in coconut oil....

My sliders with zucchini and carrot pancake-crepe-buns! They were excellent :)-

Tomato Basil (Crust less) Quiche

2013-10-12T06:27:00.001-07:00

I am reviewing the 21 Day Sugar Detox book that releases to the public October 29th and let me tell you....it is wonderful!!!! I have been inspired to get back in that kitchen and cook again without wheat or sugar!

The first thing I made was the Tomato-Basil Quiche with Bacon & Spinach (page 104-105). It was wonderful! The only modifications I made were I swapped out breakfast sausage for bacon (I was out of bacon :) I added broccoli, carrots and I topped it with shredded cheese. You can't get any easier than this recipe and now I have breakfast for a couple of days all ready to go!!!!

Keep watching for more posts.....I'm having a yummy time :)-

Tomato-Basil Quiche

Ingredients:

Picture of my breakfast :)

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

2013-10-09T19:20:00.001-07:00

I just received the new 21 Day Sugar Detox book in the mail. It is going to be released to the public in a couple of weeks, but I was asked to preview it, test the recipes and blog about it to my hearts content. I will tell you that it looks amazing and after just one afternoon speed reading and flipping through the new meal ideas I was totally inspired. I think this book is going to be a big hit. I have made my grocery list for tomorrow, but in the meantime I came up with this idea for dinner. It was super easy and yummy!

Ingredients:

2 Acorn squash or one medium Spaghetti squash

1 lb. Italian sausage

5 garlic cloves, chopped

2 green apples, chopped

Shredded cheese to top with

Sauté the sausage, turn off the heat and drain most of the fat. (*At this point I split the meat in half to make a breakfast omelette, too). Add the apples and garlic to the pan with half of the sausage. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low. Remove from heat and store in fridge until dinner or you are ready to eat.

Slice Acorn squash in half. If you have trouble cutting it, try microwaving it for a couple of minutes first. ( Be careful it gets really hot. ) Cook the squash face down until skin is tender. I use a vegetable steamer, but you can also cook it face down in a pan of water in the oven. Remove squash and scoop out the seeds, discard. Fill with sausage mixture, top with cheese and brown in the oven at 400 degrees, takes about 10-12 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy. The flavors together were amazing!

*now for the bonus breakfast omelette

Remember when I took half the cooked sausage out and set it aside. Put it back in your now empty skillet. Crack and beat 6 eggs, slice your favorite veggies and cook it all together on low heat until done. There you go 2 healthy meals in the same prep time as 1.

Easy Peanut Butter- Craving Kicker- Cookies

2013-10-05T13:26:00.001-07:00

I was craving chocolate and just about every dessert I've ever eaten in my life this afternoon. I decided to stop torturing myself on Pinterest and get up and make something before my next errand ends in a Dairy Queen drive through! They turned out great and now I feel satisfied and NOT guilty. :)

Mix all Ingredients together:

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup whole rolled oats

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

Pinch salt

Spoon onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until crisp on the edges. Makes 1 dozen cookies.

Garden Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

2013-10-05T13:09:00.001-07:00

We reached the end of our tomato season and I had 2 large bowls left in the fridge. I decided to try homemade tomato soup I just had to share the results. It was delicious and so easy. I will never throw out a bowl of tomatoes ever again! Here's what I did......

Ingredients:

5-6 cups cubed tomatoes

1 large onion, sliced

2 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Pinch of sugar and salt

Fresh basil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Serve with 1 Tbsp. Greek yogurt

Sauté onion, carrots and tomatoes in olive oil in large soup pot. (I did not peel the tomatoes, the blender puréed them just fine). Add garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes stirring constantly on med heat. Add broth, sugar and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, turn off heat. Add balsamic vinegar. Let cool until you ready to put small batches through a blender or food processor. Reheat. Serve with fresh basil and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

Ice Cream Cake

2013-08-12T19:36:00.001-07:00

Every year I have at least one child asking for an ice cream cake. I always agree, but find them too sweet and too expensive. This year I convinced my now 10 yr old to let me tackle his birthday request. Luckily I made two 'cakes', because we all keep going back for more!

Here is what we did:

Crush 10-15 Oreo cookies and arrange on bottom of 9 x 13 pan.

Spread 1 qt. of softened vanilla chocolate swirl ice cream over the crushed cookies and put in freezer for 20 minutes.

Mix 1 box instant banana pudding with 2 cups milk And 2 cups cool whip. Put into fridge to set.

Layer pudding mixture on top of ice cream and crushed cookies.

Top with the rest of cool whip and freeze until firm, about 1-3 hrs.

Cut and serve very cold!!!

We all loved it! One of the kids at the party cracked me up when he asked for a second piece and said, "I was in no way disappointed by this!" I thought, 'ummmm okay! Thanks????'

The possibilities and combinations are endless, what flavors would you choose?

Quick oven baked blueberry pancakes

2013-07-28T14:25:00.001-07:00

I had a humongous surgery this summer. It's been two and a half months and I am slowly getting back to my normal routines. Yesterday I took the kids to pick blueberries at a local farm. One of my children has not stopped asking me to make him blueberry pancakes ever since. He even leaned over during church today and asked if I would make them for lunch as soon as we got home. I was dreading the 45 minutes it usually takes to mix the batter and stand at the stove flipping pancake after pancake. I decided to try something new, bake them in the oven. It worked brilliantly!

I know the box mix isn't usually my style, but for now it was a nice convenience. I had them in the oven with less than a minute of prep and was able to sit and relax while my oven did all the work. I'm sure it would work great with any pancake batter recipe. I made the whole box and split it in between two large pizza pans. We topped it with our freshly picked berries. You could top it with nuts, bananas, strawberries, the possibilities are endless! I baked it at 375 for 10-12 minutes. I feel like I didn't even cook and my guy is very happy. I guess sometimes you just need to think outside the box ;)

Homemade Pizza

2013-05-15T18:04:00.001-07:00

As most of my readers know, I am the mom of seven amazing children. I will admit that I haven't always been the naturally homemade mom you see today. 16 1/2 years ago I was a macaroni and cheese and chicken nugget kind of mom! I'm not saying that's horrible, I'm just saying deep down I always wanted to feed my kids healthy foods without being dependent on the box aisle or freezer section at the grocery store. Add six more children and a decade (plus) of experience and I have slowly become the kind of 'from scratch mama' I hoped to become! Tonight I was making homemade pizza with the kids and I overheard my five-year-old ask my seven-year-old why we couldn't just order pizza. He told her that everything homemade is always better than anything store bought. I did a little jig in my brain :).

As soon as they noticed I was kneading dough, the twins came over to the kitchen island yelling "zi-za!!!!" After making two homemade pizzas I had the third lump of dough left, so I let the 2 year old twins make their own pizza. They beat the heck out of that dough...it was as flat as it could get! There was flour all over the kitchen, sauce all over the counter, and smiles everywhere I could see.

" Yes," I thought, "this is the kind of mom I want to be."Enjoy!

Homemade pizza dough (makes 4 large so half it if you don't need to feed an army!)

6 cups warm water

1 stick butter,melted

2 tbsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

10-12 cups flour

2 tsp olive oil

Melt butter and add warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and stir. Let sit until dissolved and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Dump in the salt, add flour several cups at a time, stir well. When the dough is starting to stick together dump a cup of the flour onto a clean counter or surface. Knead the dough into a smooth ball adding flour a Tbsp at a time if too sticky. Split into 4 equal sized lumps. Let rest 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put each lump of dough onto pizza pan and press flat with your hands (or let your kids go to town :) Top with pizza sauce, your favorite toppings and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Now, before you discount this blog as too much work and 'that family is so perfect'.....I'm adding this final picture of my son who got into the lipstick in my purse while I was blogging this post. Yeah, I'm that kind of mom :)

Paleo Italian 3 Squash Casserole

2013-05-14T07:05:00.001-07:00

I have been filling my freezer with as many healthy and quick meals as I can. The other night I was tempted to eat the kids spaghetti noodles, but was able to resist by pulling out a two serving bag of chicken chili instead! Worked like a charm. This morning I got up and started making the kids breakfast. I decided if I was going to be stuck at the stove cooking anyway, I should whip out a freezer meal too. I love multitasking. The result of my 'impromptu' recipe was wonderful. I put 2 small casseroles In the fridge and ate a plate of the leftovers for breakfast too!

Here's what I did:

Brown 1/2 lb. Italian sausage

Chop one onion, small eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini and slice 1/2 cup cabbage. Add to skillet and sauté. Add 2-3 cups spaghetti sauce (I use marinara, because it is all I can find without added sugar and I love the taste). Add 1-2 cups of water and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Prepare your pans for the freezer. I use 2 bread loaf pans. They are perfect for two one serving meals. Take aluminum foil and line the pans, with extra foil peaking out to cover the top when you close it. Cross-cross the foil.

Spoon the casserole mixture into the pans. Let cool.

Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil tabs and freeze in your freezer.

After they are frozen, remove from freezer, and loaf pans. Slip each foil packet casserole into a freezer storage bag and be sure to label it so you won't be playing a mystery meal game a few weeks from now! Put back into the freezer.

When you are ready to eat it, remove from freezer, pop back into the loaf pan you made your mold from, and bake at 375 until bubbly. Cook times will vary depending on much you fill your pan and if you cook from frozen or thawed. Enjoy, you are planning ahead for your success!

Paleo Eggplant Pizza

2013-05-11T16:47:00.001-07:00

One of ideas food gurus suggest to instill healthy eating habits in your kids is to let them pick our a few 'exotic' new foods to try each week while you're at the store. Today's trip to Woodman's resulted in imitation cherry chocolate chips from my teenager and eggplant and Chinese cabbage from my 5 yr old. I did a quick search on recipes for the eggplant and decided on mini eggplant pizzas. the 5 year old helped me slice them, bake them, top them and then she tried it!

Bottom line? She was interested, involved and adventurous???? And I have an entire plate of eggplant Parmesan pizzas to eat tonight, but it's progress right???? Look at the Mother's Day Card in her hand. It says in her handwriting, "thank you mommy for taking good care of me!" I'll keep trying. ;)

Here's what we did:

Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices. Lightly coat with olive oil. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, top each slice with sauce (I used marinara) and mozzarella. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese and bake or broil until cheese is toasted and bubbly. Serve warm.

Wow! The Best Chocolate Chip Paleo Cookie, EVER!

2013-05-03T17:38:00.001-07:00

One of the best ways I've found of staying on the path of sugar free - wheat free is finding ways to recreate your favorite foods Paleo style. This cookie is so very very good, I can't even do it justice in a description! I have made my friend Michele's recipe from HillBunkerFarms.com a few times now and it's perfect as is, but as I do with every recipe, I also add to it and mix it up a bit, too. I will share both recipes and promise you no matter which one you try, you will love it!

Michele's Original Heavenly Paleo Cookie:

1 cup natural almond butter
1/4 cup raw honey (Hillbunker Farm honey is the best :)
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chocolate chops or nibs

Mix all the ingredients together, then fold in the chocolate chips. Drop on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 more minutes on the baking sheet to set. Enjoy!

Shelli's 'I have trouble following directions' peanut and almond butter cookies:

1 cup natural almond butter
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup raw honey (Hillbunker Wild Honey of course :)
1/4 cup milled flax seed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Follow Michele's directions adding the extra ingredients and enjoy!

21 day Sugar and Wheat Detox: results...

2013-04-21T17:20:00.001-07:00

As most of my family and friends know I have tried a low carb and all natural diet for 13 weeks now. I decided to try it to see if it would help with my pain and inflammation from a chronic back issue and degenerating disks. I have been asked recently to describe the difference in my health, so here it is.

The first thing I noticed was I was totally addicted to carbs/sugar. If it wasn't for my husband supporting me by doing the detox with me, I never would have made it past day 3.

After 5 days, I was past the sugar cravings and started sleeping better. We both stopped needing daily heartburn medicine. I felt clearer in my head and a fog lifted. I didn't even realize I was in a fog until it was gone!

At the 1 week point noticed my tummy was shrinking. I noticed my swollen joints were feeling less bloated.

After 3 weeks I started my first female 'cycle'. It was shockingly short compared to my usual 9-20 day monster cycles. I was thrilled!

Now at almost 3 months, I am on half the pain medicine I was before. My monthly cycle is down to 4 days a month, no heartburn at all, sleep solid through the night and I've lost 21 pounds!

The secret????? Eat whole, unprocessed foods as natural as possible and avoid sugar. That's it. No crazy pills, tricks, binges or fads. I didn't count calories or watch fat intake. Eat the way God intended you to eat and the body will naturally heal itself.

Try it and see for yourself......

Broccoli and Cauliflower pizza crust

2013-04-19T17:26:00.001-07:00

I have been looking at many ideas, blogs and recipes on making gluten free pizza crust. My dilemma is that I cannot have any flour so replacing wheat flour with bean flour isn't an option. I decided to try vegetable crust, after all I love the veggie used in it, so I should like it, right?

Here's what I did:

Take 1/4 head of cauliflower and stick it in a food processor to 'rice' it. Do the same with 2 large broccoli crowns. Microwave them for 5 minutes, stirring every 1.5 minutes or so to release and evaporate as much water as possible.

Purée 1/4 cup whole almonds in food processor and then add to the cooked veggies. Let cool slightly and then add 1 beaten egg and 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

Press 'dough' into a baking stone or pizza pan. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes or until sides start to look toasted. Remove from oven. Top with pizza sauce and your favorite toppings. Bake as usual and enjoy!

It isn't the same as flour crust, but for those of us who want to eliminate flours from our diet, it's pretty dang good! If you hate the texture of 'Cream of Wheat', you won't like this either.

I recommend going all out on your toppings and picking veggies you love. I doubt my hubby will even try it, but I am thankful to have pizza without just eating the top for a change, so I covered it in mushrooms to ensure it all to myself ;)

Let me know what you think!